By Stephen Gbadamosi
An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Monday, discharged and acquitted a former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Mr. Ropo Adesanya, and four others over a case of alleged conspiracy, threatened violence and breach of peace.
The defendants were Chief James Dada (49), Chief Jegede James (65), Jegede Ebenezer (72), Chief Matthew Fabamise (65) and Adesanya (67).
The defendants were arraigned before Magistrate A. O. Adeosun on September 4, 2023 on the three-count charge of conspiracy, threatened violence and breach of peace.
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Delivering judgment, Magistrate Adeosun held that, “it was found that the prosecution has not adduced evidence to link the defendants with the commission of the offences in count II and count III, while count I, which borders on conspiracy, also fails.
“On the whole, after a careful and most anxious consideration of the evidence, I have come to the conclusion that the prosecution has failed to discharge the onus placed on them.
“Consequently, each defendants is hereby discharged and acquitted on count I, II and III.”
The prosecutor, Johnson Okunade, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), had told the court that the defendants committed the offence on April 21, 2023 at about 07:00 p.m. in Ijan-Ekiti.
He said the defendants conspired among themselves to comit felony.
Okunade told the court that a case of threatened violence against the complainant, one Major Olajide Ijadare, was reported at the station, while the defendants also conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace.
According to him, the offences contravened Sections 421, 69 and 181(1) (d) of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State 2021.
The complainant, in his testimony, said “I know the defendants very well; we were born together at Ikesan. But they ganged and conspired against me because of a traditional installation.
“They lured the 4th defendant and Chief James Dada, when we wanted to install Oba Orun. The second and third defendants, however, mobilised their sons with dangerous weapons, money, gun, illicit drugs and hard liquor.
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“The defendants incited their sons to burn tyres at the venue of the installation ceremony, apparently to ensure that the installation did not hold.
“They also broke bottles, carry cutlasses, shouting that they will shed blood if we go ahead to perform the installation.
“They threatened to kill me and cut my head. As a result of this, I invited my security officer to put a call to the Nigerian military men around to come to our aid in order to prevent breakdown of law and order.”
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